The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-22
THROUGH FOREST FIRES.
A TRAVELLER THROUGH ARKANSAS
NARRATES SOME EXPERIENCES.
Personal Contact with and Visions Of
the Ravaging Fires-Hi Faithful
Horse Killed and Vehicle Smashed
by Saturdays Hurricane.

The forest fires in Arkansas form pro-
life theme for conversation on the streets
Of Memphis. Wherever one is found who
knows anything OF their extent or prob
able damage no is questioned until every
particle OF information il extracted. An
APPEAL reporter was particularly fortunate
yesterday afternoon in encountering n
gentleman who had just returned from
that State. This was Mr.. II. l.. Priddy,
travelling salesman for Woods & Woods, of
this city, dealers in wagons, buggics, har-
ness, hay rakes, cotton gins, cotton presses,
agricultural / "plements and machinery,
etc. Mr. Priddy's territory is throughout
the entire st. Francis river bottom, where
railroads are exceedingly scarce, and he
therefore confines himself TO the primitive
modes OF travel-the private conveyance.
In the course OF his conversation the gen
tlcman said:
81 was in the wake OF the fearful forest
fires for twelve or fifteen days, and know
something OF the horrors you have been
experiencing in Memphis from smoke. For
days travelled through smoke which hung
in almost impenelrable volume close to the
earth. This injured my eyes 10 that felt
great pains, and at times feared l would
lose them altogether"
"Do you have any idea Of the area over
which these fires spreadY'
''From what can hear, over almost the
entire State, and still they are burning.
Until heavy rain falls there is no hope OF
their being quenchcd unless this is so long
deferred that material is exhausted. Only
plowed OF open ground affords any protcc-
| ton for farm houses and in some instances
even this has failed. heard Of five or six
eases Of destruction in this line but 80 far
no loss OF life has been reported. FOrtu-
nately nearly all tho crops are gathered,
and in cases WHERE farm houses escaped
burning the products arr savcd.'
"What did you hear Of the burning OF
railroad trcstlcsg'
'''rhe four mile trcstle OF the Kansas
| City road, in st. Francis bottom, wis the
most serious disaster oil this kind, and will
cause temporary embarrassment 10 that
| line. Over one mile OF the trcstle was en-
tircly consumed, and nothing but the iron
and ashes remain to cll OF the structure :
former existence. IL was built over lot
OF cypress trees, and these, being dry,
were as inllammablo ms finder. When they
became ignied the flames leaped up and
| took hold oi the treslle timbcrs, and in the
absence OF forces TO cxtinguish utterly con
sumed them. A gentleman IN authority
told me that force of 5000 or 1000 men
would he put TO work Immediately repair
ing the damage, and for temporary use
! would build n shoefy around the wreck.
But, at best, 1t cannot be done for several
days"
"1'he trains over that line seem 10 be
moving regularly; how do they get around
the burned trestle?'
'By an arrangement with the Memphis
< Little Rock railroad. They run from
Knobcl 10 Forrest City, thence over the
Little Rock road to Memphis"
"Did the forest fires run you out Of Ar.
kansas?"
'By no means. An accident which
came near terminating my career, and did
render me hors du combat, IL the cause oI
my reappearance on the streets Of Mem.
phis. / was riding along through the ~.
Francis river bottom Saturday afternoon
about | o'clock, when a regular blizzard
came up. Tho wind WIS tearing up trees
by the roots and blowing them around ~
10 much straw. Just n struck the ont
skiris of II deep woodland the top Of 4
green maple tree wRs twisted from the
trunk, and fell with terrific crush acros,
the road. My horse, feeling the danger Of
intuition, gave lungc and jumped for
ward. II was fatal mistake Tor him
faithful animal that no was, for the tree
top caught him ON the head aud crushed
the life out OF him. The shafts and dash
board Of my vehicle wero also wrecked
Had | been two feet further forward
would have shared the same fate. have
had many close calls in my life, but never
want another like tho one through which
have Just passed"